Ibrahimi v Commonwealth of Australia [2018] NSWCA 321

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Ibrahimi v Commonwealth of Australia [2018] NSWCA 321 Hearing dates: 26 and 27 June 2018 Date of orders: 19 December 2018 Decision date: 19 December 2018 Before: Meagher JA at [1]; Payne JA at [2]; Simpson AJA at [326] Decision: 1. Appeal dismissed

2. Appellants to pay the respondent's costs Catchwords: TORTS – negligence – duty of care – control – vulnerability – reliance – mere foreseeability of harm – whether duty to prevent occurrence

TORTS – negligence – public authorities – exercise, or non-exercise, of statutory and prerogative powers

TORTS – negligence – breach of duty – no breach arising in circumstances – no causation Legislation Cited: Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth), s 15B Christmas Island Act 1958 (Cth), ss 5, 8A Civil Liability Act 2002 (WA), ss 5B, 5C, 5E, 5F; Divs 2, 3 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 157, 161; Pt 10 Commonwealth Constitution, s 75(iii) Evidence Act 1995 (Cth), s 79 Fatal Accidents Act 1959 (WA), s 9 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth), ss 39, 56, 64, 79, 80 Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1941 (WA), s 4 Migration Act 1958 (Cth), ss 4, 36, 42, 45, 233A, 261A; Part 2, Div 12A Navigation Act 1912 (Cth), ss 3, 208, 227B, 265 Supreme Court Act 1986 (Vic), ss 33C, 33H

Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005, r 28.2 Cases Cited: Agar v Hyde (2000) 201 CLR 552; [2000] HCA 41 Al-Kateb v Godwin (2004) 219 CLR 562; [2004] HCA 37 Brookfield Multiplex v Owners - Corporation Strata Plan 61288 (2014) 254 CLR 185; [2014] HCA 36 C.A.L No 14 Pty Ltd v Motor Accidents Insurance Board (2009) 239 CLR 390; [2009] HCA 47 Caledonian Collieries Ltd v Speirs (1957) 97 CLR 202; [1957] HCA 14 Caltex Refineries (Qld) Pty Limited v Stavar (2009) 75 NSWLR 649; [2009] NSWCA 258 Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty Ltd v The Dredge "Willemstad" (1976) 136 CLR 529; [1976] HCA 65 Commonwealth v Kreglinger & Fernau Ltd (1926) 37 CLR 393; [1926] HCA 8 Commonwealth v Limerick Steamship Co Ltd (1924) 35 CLR 69; [1924] HCA 50 Commonwealth v Mewett (1997) 191 CLR 471; [1997] HCA 29 CPCF v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2015) 255 CLR 514; [2015] HCA 1 Crimmins v Stevedoring Committee (1999) 200 CLR 1; [1999] HCA 59 Dasreef Pty Ltd v Hawchar (2011) 243 CLR 588; [2011] HCA 21 Geddis v Proprietors of Bann Reservoir (1878) 3 App Cas 430 Graham Barclay Oysters Pty Ltd v Ryan (2002) 211 CLR 540; [2002] HCA 54 Groves v Commonwealth (1982) 150 CLR 113; [1982] HCA 21 Hargrave v Goldman (1963) 110 CLR 40; [1963] HCA 56 HG v The Queen (1999) 197 CLR 414; [1999] HCA 2 John Pfeiffer Pty Ltd v Rogerson (2000) 203 CLR 503; [2000] HCA 36 Jones v Bartlett (2000) 205 CLR 166; [2000] HCA 56 Ku-ring-gai Council v Chan [2017] NSWCA 226; (2017) 224 LGERA 330 Lowns v Woods (1996) Aust Torts Reports 81-376 Macleod v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2002) 211 CLR 287; [2002] HCA 37 Michael v The Chief Constable of South Wales Police [2015] 1 AC 1732 MM Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd v Port Stephens Council [2012] NSWCA 417; (2012) 191 LGERA 292 Mt Isa Mines v Pusey (1970) 125 CLR 383; [1970] HCA 60 Mutual Life & Citizens' Assurance Co Ltd v Evatt (1968) 122 CLR 556; [1968] HCA 74 Nelson v Nelson (1995) 184 CLR 538; [1995] HCA 25 Northern Sandblasting v Harris (1997) 188 CLR 313; [1997] HCA 39 Olbers Co Ltd v The Commonwealth (2004) 136 FCR 67; [2004] FCA 229 Olbers Co Ltd v The Commonwealth (2004) 143 FCR 449; [2004] FCAFC 262 Perre v Apand Pty Limited (1999) 198 CLR 180; [1999] HCA 36 Pyrenees Shire Council v Day (1998) 192 CLR 330; [1998] HCA 3 Rizeq v Western Australia [2017] HCA 23; (2017) 91 ALJR 707 Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales v Dederer (2007) 234 CLR 330; [2007] HCA 42 Robinson v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police [2018] AC 736; [2018] UKSC 4 Romeo v Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory (1998) 192 CLR 431; [1998] HCA 5 Sheppard v Glossop Corporation [1921] 3 KB 132 Stovin v Wise [1996] AC 923 Stuart v Kirkland-Veenstra (2009) 237 CLR 215; [2009] HCA 15 Sullivan v Moody (2001) 207 CLR 562; [2001] HCA 59 Sutherland Shire Council v Heyman (1985) 157 CLR 424; [1985] HCA 41 Tepko Pty Ltd v Water Board (2001) 206 CLR 1; [2001] HCA 19 Timbercorp Finance Pty Ltd (in liq) v Collins (2016) 259 CLR 212; [2016] HCA 44 Tran v The Commonwealth (2010) 187 FCR 54; [2010] FCAFC 80 Wheat v E Lacon & Co Ltd [1966] AC 552 Woolcock Street Investments Pty Ltd v CDG Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 16; 78 ALJR 628 Texts Cited: Natalie Gray and James Edelman, "Developing the law of omissions: a common law duty to rescue?" (1998) 6 Torts LJ 1 HLA Hart and Tony Honoré, Causation in the Law, (2nd ed 1985, Oxford University Press) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Median Nazar Ibrahimi (First Appellant) Hossein Shahvari (Second Appellant) Afshen Noroozi (Third Appellant) Commonwealth of Australia (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: M Cranitch SC, S E J Prince (Appellant) A Bell SC, M O'Meara, R Jedrzejczyk (Respondent)